The Align Grind Wedge and BX-1 Are Both Amateur-Friendly. But Which One Will Rescue YOUR Short Game?

If you’ve been on a mission to rescue your short game, you’ve probably caught the buzz about two new tech-forward wedges: the align grind wedge and the BX-1 wedge.

Both clubs boast innovative features that promise to help you reclaim your short game. Both are geared toward amateur golfers. Both have inspired rave reviews from the everyday golfers who’ve taken them for a spin.

But make no mistake: these two wedges are not interchangeable. With different strengths and areas of focus, they offer very different solutions for your short game.

Let’s take a look at the align grind and BX-1 wedges side by side so you can determine which one is right for you.

Overview of the align grind Wedge

The align grind wedge is the brainchild of PGA Instructor and four-time Golf Digest Best-in-State Instructor Todd Kolb.

Having spent three decades coaching thousands of golfers from newbies to an LPGA major champion, Kolb has become the voice for the everyday golfer within an industry built primarily to serve tour players.

He’s developed the Vertical Line Swing, a new swing system based on the unique skill set of amateur and senior golfers. His bestselling book, The Bad Lie, has completely transformed the way everyday players approach the game. 

And he and his VLS Golf team have joined forces with an award-winning club designer to develop a series of clubs that prioritize the real-world needs of the amateur over the endorsements of big-name players.

The groundbreaking align grind wedge is one of their latest innovations.

The Sales Pitch

With the align grind wedge, Kolb and VLS Golf seek to solve a problem that has plagued golfers for ages:

We never get enough play time with any one wedge to truly master it.

Because the wedges in our bag fulfill specialized functions, each one only comes out a few times each round. That’s why so many of us struggle with contact in our short game. We’re just not getting enough practice in to overcome the relentless shanking, skulling, and chunking.

So VLS Golf engineered the align grind wedge for versatility. With a few subtle adjustments to traditional wedge design, they’ve created a wedge that guarantees great performance on a wide range of short game shots.

Instead of being a “jack of all wedges, master of none,” you can conquer a single club that works for every shot around the green. (Or two clubs, if you so choose; the align grind comes in both 48° and 56° lofts.)

Key Features

Let’s take a quick look at the features that set the align grind wedge apart from traditional wedges.

Ultra-Forgiving align grind Sole

With its flat leading edge, the align grind sole ensures a truer strike off the turf on full wedge shots. You can finally take a divot with your wedge.

Bonus: the flat leading edge makes it way easier to aim your shot.

But what does that mean for bunker shots and tight lies?

Not to worry. The align grind sole includes a rounded backside, ensuring you still get plenty of bounce when you need it.

Perimeter Payload Weighting

While the weighting of traditional wedges actually promotes an open clubface (hello, shanks), the align grind wedge comes with a little extra steel in the toe to prevent the face from rotating open.

And what if you’re more prone to hit hitting it off the toe?

There’s good news for you, too. While your current driver holds its center of gravity in the heel, Perimeter Payload Weighting shifts the sweet spot to the center of the clubface, which increases forgiveness for off-center strikes.

Adaptive Flex Technology

A lot of us struggle with touch and feel in our short game shots. The heavy steel shaft of a traditional wedge doesn’t do much to help with that.

So VLS Golf equipped the align grind wedge with a lighter, Adaptive Flex graphite shaft that actually conforms to your swing speed and the specific type of shot you’re hitting.

Target Line Finder

In addition to that easier-to-aim straight leading ledge, the align grind features a vivid red line at the base of the clubface. This provides a strong visual that makes it way easier to line up your shots.

Springy Active Low Face

The align grind wedge features a thinner reactive face compared to traditional wedges. (The one currently in your bag likely has thick steel on the lower end of the clubface.)

This thinner face compresses more on lower and leading edge impacts for better ball speed and distance, even on mis-hits.

Vertical Lie Angle

Amateur golfers have a bad habit of standing too far from the ball in their wedge shots. The align grind overcomes this with a more vertical lie angle that encourages the ideal stance naturally.

Two Loft Options

While this wedge is versatile enough to use for every shot around the green, it’s also available in two lofts for those who prefer two options in their bag. 

The 48° Approach Wedge is great for approach shots, bump and runs, and hard pan. The 56° Scoring Wedge is ideal for high soft flop shots, bunker shots, and thick rough.

Overview of the BX-1 Wedge

Like the align grind wedge, the BX-1 wedge is the creation of a golf instructor and an award-winning designer.

Clay Ballard has been teaching golf since 2009, before which he played the game professionally. He’s also known as the mind behind the successful Top Speed Golf YouTube channel.

The frustrations that led Ballard to become an equipment innovator are similar to Kolb’s: he was tired of seeing the industry’s leading equipment fail amateur players.

So he developed the BX-1 wedge to overcome one of the everyday golfer’s most aggravating hurdles.

The Sales Pitch

While the align grind wedge was designed for versatility, the BX-1 wedge was made to solve one very specific problem:

Bunkers.

In fact, this club doesn’t just promise to help golfers hit it high and soft. It makes it possible for the average amateur player to make it out of the bunker in one shot using their normal swing.

The BX-1 also puts an end to contact disasters in the bunker (skulling in particular). It makes it easier than ever to clear high lips. And, because golfers can use their regular swing, they can finally focus on advanced bunker skills like distance control and aim.

Key Features

So how does Ballard manage to pull all this off with his design? Let’s take a look.

Extra Loft

The BX-1 features 63° of loft. That’s a lot, even for a wedge. 

This built-in loft ensures you get plenty of height to clear the lip without having to open the clubface or adjust your swing in any way.

Ultra-Wide Sole

The sole of the BX-1 is almost double that of a traditional wedge. This width makes it easier for the sole to glide through the sand without digging in, even if you’re not able to bring a lot of speed and power to your swing.

Now, you may have seen wedges with ultra-wide soles before, but here’s where the BX-1 is different:

Beveled Leading Edge

As it turns out, those other ultra-wide soles you’ve seen do help with bounce, but they still require a shallow angle of attack.

The BX-1 features a beveled leading edge that ensures a smooth glide through the sand, even with a steep swing. Once again, you can use your regular swing and still avoid the digging and skulling that plague most amateur golfers.

The align grind wedge vs. the BX-1 Wedge

Clearly, both wedges come with innovative design and compelling benefits. But how do they compare to one another? 

Appearance

Despite its unique, amateur-friendly design, the align grind wedge looks just like a traditional wedge. In fact, it looks like something you’d find in a tour player’s bag. 

With its black color and double-wide head, the BX-1 stands out as something entirely new.

Purpose and Use

While the designers say it can be used effectively for other short game shots, the engineering of the BX-1 centers entirely around bunker shots. It’s ultimate goal is more height and bounce.

This means you probably can’t hit it more than 50 yards and probably won’t have a lot of success hitting it from the fairway.

The align grind wedge was explicitly developed for versatility with the goal of equipping golfers with a go-to club they can master for better contact and distance control on all short game shots.

This wedge performs as well on the fairway as it does in a bunker and out of the rough.

Loft Options

The BX-1 only comes with an ultra-high 63° loft. 

With the align grind, you can choose between 48° or 56° (or get both for a discount).

Legality

Both the align grind wedge and BX-1 wedge conform to the rules of golf.

Price

The BX-1 wedge typically retails at $189 and is currently available at the discounted price of $139.

The align grind wedge retails for slightly less at $159, but you can grab it for $119 here.

Both come with a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Which is best: align grind or BX-1?

Both are well-designed, highly-reviewed clubs that have successfully helped golfers like you overcome major short game challenges.

The best option for you really just depends on your current goals.

If the only thing you want is a wedge that helps you get out of the bunker with less headache, the BX-1 could be a great option for you.

If you’re looking to tighten your entire short game including bunker play, you really can’t go wrong with align grind.

You might also favor the align grind wedge if you want the choice of two different lofts or you’re looking for a club that’s custom-built top-to-bottom for slower swing speeds.

Click here to see the align grind wedge in action and order your own.

Click here to learn more about the BX-1.

Which Will You Choose?

Or have you already tried one of these wedges? Join us in the comments and let us know your thoughts! 

Your insight might help one of your fellow golfers make this tough decision for themselves.